Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' Luke 15:8-9This passage of the Bible is near and dear to my heart. It records the Father's joy at finding us! How wonderful is that? Pretty great news. The joy of my most current "find" isn't even closely comparable to what the verse is talking about but there is a slight similarity which made me want to bring it up! Any chance to think about the great news of God's love for us expressed through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ on the Cross for our sins.
Now, to the find! I recently moved from one town to another. I was a bit sad to leave my comfortable old Tobacco Shop (mentioned in previous posts) and the fellowship that was shared there, but the move was certainly of the Lord, and it would be insane to reject a great opportunity for the love of a smoke shop. So move we did, and since up here I have dedicated only a small amount of time to trying to find comparable digs around my new town. Alas, the hunt has not been successful! However, one great thing did come of the excursion.
I was at a shop that claimed to be a "pipe and tobacco" shop but really was only a cigar shop with a small corner dedicated to pipes and pipe tobacco. This was a bit disappointing but Jim and Armondo made up for the lack of pipe wares with pleasant conversation. During our chat they let me know that Pipe tobacco just didn't move quick enough there, but I could browse through the tins and bulks that they did have. And what to my wandering eye did appear?
Dunhill London Mixture!
For those who may not know (as I did not until somewhat recently) Dunhill was the best selling brand of tinned pipe tobacco across the US. Then one day it mysteriously disappeared (many good explanations on the internet...I just don't know). All of this happened before I decided to make my personal foray into the world of boutique tobaccos. So I can only read reviews and hear people bemoaning the loss of their own favorite Dunhill tobacco. So which I saw it I had to purchase it. I am usually very careful and intentional about trying new blends as they are not cheap and if you don't like them you have a not cheap can of 2 oz. of apathy. But this had to be done.
Having smoked two bowls now I am unable to say if I enjoy it for the fact that I didn't think I would ever get to try a Dunhill tobacco, or for the quality of the tobacco itself. It is a wonderful mild smoke. The Virginias are sweeter and nicer than Virginia blends I have tried. The orientals impart a nice spiciness that make the whole smoke very entertaining and enjoyable. Still it is nice to find something that was supposed to be lost forever, sitting in the corner of that smoke shop for years - completely undervalued. No one seemed to have a clue how rare it was to find it. Just a little pleasure that I could never have deserved!
